Boom attachment for lift trucks for loading narrow-door boxcars



June 1960 J. c. FOWLER 2,941,583

BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FOR LOADING NARROW-DOOR BOXCARS FiledDec. 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

J'ESSE c. FOWL 52 J. C. FOWLER BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FORLOADING NARROW-DOOR BOXCARS June 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D80.12. 1958 IN VEN TOR.

J'ESSE c- Fow4se %%maq/W C. FOWLER BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FORLOADING NARROW-DOOR BOXCARS Filed D96. 12, 1958 June 21, 1960 5Sheets-Sheet 3 MM 5 s a J BOOM ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS FUR LOADINGNARROW-DOOR BOXCARS Jesse C. Fowler, Box 222, Williams, Ariz.

Filed Dec. 12, 1958, set, No. 780,116

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-'620) This invention relates to loading attachmentsfor industrial lift trucks, and more particularly to a boom attachmentfor a fork lifttruck especially adapted for use in loading narrowsingle-door box cars.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved boomattachment for a fork lift truck, said attachment being simple inconstruction, being easy to mount on a fork lift truck, and providing agreat saving in time and labor in the handling of packaged loads, suchas stacks of lumber, or the like.

A further object of the inventoin is to provide an improved boomattachment for a standard industrial fork lift truck, said attachmentinvolving inexpensive components, being durable in construction, andbeing safe to use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved boomattachment for a fork lift truck, said attachment being adjustable inaccordance with the size of the load to be handled, being smooth inoperation, and greatly reducing the amount of human elfort required inloading bundles of lumber or similar packaged objects into freight carsof the type having relatively narrow doors.

Further objects andadvantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved boom attachment for a forklift truck constructed in accordance with the present invention, showingthe manner in which the attachment is used for handling a bundle ofboards.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a boom attachment according tothe present invention shown operatively engaged with a fork lift truckand illustrating the manner in which a load is elevated for placement ina box car.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 5--5 ofFigure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view takenon the line 6--6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the load carrier member employed inthe boom. attachment of Figures 1 to 6, shown with its fastening strapsdisengaged from the main body portion of the carrier assembly.

Referring to the drawings, the improved boom attachment is designatedgenerally at 11 and comprises a generally rectangular base plate 12 ofheavy rigid material, such as sheet steel of substantial thickness.Rigidly secured to the underside of the plate 12 adjacent its sidemargins are the respective longitudinally extending channel bars 13 and14, said channel bars being spaced to receive the respective forkelements 15 and 16 of a standard fork lift truck, designated generallyat 17 and shown fragmentarily in Figures 2 and 3.

2,941,683 Patented June 21, 1960 bottom edges to the top surfaces of thebase plate 12 and which are welded at their rear edges to the verticalside edges of the transverse vertical bracket plate 20.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the transversely extending upstandingvertical bracket plate 20 is. located at the transverse rear edge of themain plate 12 and depends below said main plate, defining a dependingtransverse flange element to which the rear ends of the sleeve members13 and 14 may be welded. A transversely extending bottom channel member24 is welded to the underside of the main plate 12 and to the insideflanges of the sleeve channels 13 and 14, as well as to the dependingportion of the vertical transverse bracket plate 20, as shown in Figure4.

Rigidly secured to the bracket plate 28 are the vertically spaced,rearwardly extending pivot lugs 25 and 26, the pivot lug 25 beingsecured, as by welding, or the like, to the bot-tom marginal portion ofthe plate 20 and the pivot lug 26 being secured to the upper portion ofsaid bracket plate in vertical alignment with the bottom lug 25.

Designated at 27 is a first tubular, horizontally extending boom memberwhich is rigidly secured at its end to a transversely extending supportplate 28 which depends a substantial distance below the tubular boommember 27, as is clearly shown in Figure 4. Generally triangularvertical side plates 29', 29' are provided at the opposite sides of thetubular boom member 27, said side plates being welded to the boom member27 at their top margins and being welded to the plate member 28 at theirvertical edges, whereby to define a rigid and securely braced connectionof the boom member 27 to the plate member 28. Respective horizontalpivot lugs 29 and 30 are welded to the forward surface of tht platemember 28, the lower lug 29 overlying the bottom pivot lug 25 associatedwith the base plate 12 and the upper pivot lug 30 overlying the upperpivot lug 26 associated with said base plate. Suitable bearing bushings31 and 30' are provided between the respective pivot lugs 30, 26 and 29,25, as shown in Figure 4. A vertical pivot pin 31, headed at its topend, is engaged through the respective pairs of pivot lugs, as isclearly shown in Figure 4, providing a vertical hinge connection betweenthe tubular boom member 27 and distance to normally allow the boommember 27 to swing to a relatively wide angle, for example to a positionsuch as that shown in dotted view in Figure 5. However, when it isdesired to prevent such swinging, a transverse stop bar 38 is engagedbetween the edges 33 of the flange plates 32, 32 and the transverselyextending upstanding vertical bracket plate 25), said stop bar 34 beingsupported on a transversely extending horizontal shelf-like flange plate35 secured to the upstanding vertical bracket plate 20 subjacent thehorizontal plane of the stop flanges 32, 32, as shown in Figure 4. Theshelf flange 35 is thus adapted to support the stop bar 38 in a positionwherein the transverse end edges 33, 33 of the stop flanges 32, 32 willengage the stop bar 38 and limit swinging movet E ment of the tubularboom member 27. Thus, the tubular boom member may be locked againstrotation and may be held in a substantially longitudinally extendingposition relative to the main plate member 12, to facilitate thetransportation of the boom attachment and to preventundesired swingingof the boom portion thereof. It will be understood that the stop bar 38is readily removable, since it is not secured in any Way to thesupporting shelf element 35. When so'remoyed, the flange elements 32, 32may swing freely toward the transverse upstanding bracket plate20, forexample; may rotate with the boom member 27 to'the positions thereofshown in dottedview in Figured. V V

A pair of depending vertical gusset plates 38, 38, are rigidly securedbetween the bo ttom surface of the upper pivot lug 26' and thetransversely extending upstanding bracket plate 20, said gusset platesbeing spaced symmetrically on opposite sides of the pivot pin member 31,as is clearly shown in Figure 5.

Designated at 39 is a second tubular boonimember which is telescopicallyreceived in the first tubular boom member 27, the boom member 39 beingprovided with longitudinally spaced apertures 40 which are selectivelyregistrable with apertures 41 provided on the first boom member 27, sothat the second boom member 39 may be secured in an adjusted positionrelative to the first boom member 27 by means of suitable fastening pinsor bolts extending through the registering apertures 40 and 41. to adesired position relative to the boom member 2'7 and may be'locked inthis position by meansof a fastening bolt engaged through the apertures41 and selected apertures 40.

Designated generally at 42 is a load carrier assembly comprising ahorizontal base plate 44 to which is secured I a downwardly concave topcover plate 45, the top cover plate being braced relative to the baseplate 44 by a pair of longitudinally extending spacer blocks 46, 46welded between the bottom surface of the bowed upper plate 45 and thetop surface of the horizontal lower plate 44.

Rigidly secured centrally in the composite plate structure 43 defined bythe aforesaid plates 44 and 45 is a vertical upstanding shaft member 47which projects upwardly for a substantial distance and which is formedat its top portion with the regularly spaced, transversely extendingapertures 48.

Rigidly secured to the end portion of the second tubular boom member 39is a horizontally extending plate member 50 which is further. braced tothe end portion of the boom member 39 by a pair of offset side plates51, 51 welded at their bottom edges to the. horizontal member 56 and aselected aperture 48 in vertical shaft 47. As shown in Figure 6, thebearing assembly 55 includes a housing 58 which retains the componentsof the bearing assembly and which transmit the loading from collar56 tothe horizontal plate member 54 and thus to the boom member.

Designated at 66 is a horizontal capstan shaft journaled in upstandinglugs 61 secured on a side marginal portion of the composite platestructure 43 of the load carrier assembly 42. A ratchet disc 62 isprovided on the capstan shaft 69, said disc being engaged by a pawlmember 63 pivoted to the top plate 45 in the manner illustrated inFigure 7, engaging the ratchet 62' to prevent counterclockwise rotationof the capstanishaft 66, as viewed in Figure. 7. Secured: on theopposite marginal portion of Thus, the boom member 39 may be extendedthe top plate member 45 are a pair of upstanding pins 64, Designated at65, 65 are respective flexible strap members having the respective endportions 66, 66 which are engageable through longitudinal slots 67, 67formed in the capstan shaft 60 on opposite sides of the ratchet disc 62,whereby the strap members 65, 65 may be attached to said capstan shaft.The strap members 65, 65 are provided on their oppositeends with thegenerally triangular ring members 68, 68 engageable on the upstandingpins 64, 64, whereby a load, such as" agbun'dle of boards 69,illustrated in Figure L'may besecured to the load carrier assembly 42 bytightening the strap member 65, namely, by rotating the capstan shaft 60in a clockwise direction,-asviewed in Figure 7.

The capstan shaft 66 is provided with squared opposite ends 70, 70,adapted to be engaged by a suitable wrench when it is desired to tightenthe strap members 65, 65.

In using the attachment, the fork elements 15, 16 of a fork lift truck17 are engaged in the sleeve members 13 and i4, wherebythe fork elements15 and 16 connect the boom attachment to the fork lift truck;Thereafter, the truck 17 is movedto the location of the load, forexample, the bundle 6 and the bundle is fastened to the load carrierassembly 42. by engaging the strap members 65, 65 around the bundle andtightening the strap membersin the manner above described, thusclampingthe bundle'to the underside of the plate 44' in the manner shownin Figure 6. I

As shown in Figure ,2, the stop bar 34 may be engaged on its supportingshelf35 under the se conditions to anew the truck 17 to tr ansport'tliebundle 69 to the box car,

shown at 72, in which it is intended to place the load. When the loadhas been thus placed to a position ad'- jacent the side of-the box car,the fork elements 15, 16 may then be elevated to the necessary height toraise the load above the l evel o f the floor of the freight car, andthe stop bar 38 may be removed to allow the boom tov swivel as requiredin order to align the bundle 69' with the door of the box car, which asabove mentioned, may be relatively narrow, as in the case of a largenumber" of presently available single-door box cars.

With the bundle69 elevated,- for example to the dotted view positionshown in Figure 2, the bundle'm'ay be further rotated around thevertical axis defined by the carrier assembly shaft 47, to facilitatethe entry of the bundle into the narrow box car door; When the bundlehas been properly aligned the bundle may be moved into the-box car bymoving the truck 17 in a forward direction, sufficiently to comp-letelyplace, the bundle inside the enter. The bundle may then be. lowered ontotheb'ox ventional boxcars of the double-door type wherein relativelywide doorways are provided.

While a specific embodiment of an improved boom attachment for a forklift truck has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will beunderstood that various modifications within the spirit of the inventionmay occur to those skilled in the art. I no limitations be placed on theinvention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base havingsleeve-likeportions adapted to receive Therefore, it is intended thatoneness the fork elements of a fork lift truck, upstanding bracket meanson the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boommember, means pivotally connecting the rear end portion of said boommember to said upstanding bracket means for rotation on a vertical axis,an outwardly projecting horizontal flange on each of the opposite sidesof said first boom member extending adjacent said upstanding bracketmeans, removably mounted transversely extending bar means on saidupstanding bracket means and being at times engageable by said flangesto limit rotation of said first boom member, a second boom membertelescopically received in said first boom member, means adjustablysecuring said second boom member in said first boom member, and means onthe forward end of said second boom member constructed and arranged toswivelly support a load carrier assebly for rotation on a vertical axis.

2. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base havingsleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lifttruck, upstanding bracket means on the rear end portion of said base, ahorizontal first tubular boom member, means pivotally connecting therear end portion of said boom member to said upstanding bracket meansfor rotation on a vertical axis, an outwardly projecting horizontalflange on each of the opposite sides of said first boom member extendingadjacent said upstanding bracket means, a transversely extendinghorizontal flange on said upstanding bracket means, a transversehorizontal stop bar removably mounted on said last-named flange andextending adjacent the rear edges of said first-named flanges and beingengageable thereby to limit rotation of said first boom member, a secondboom member telescopically received in said first boom member, meansadjustablysecuring said second boom member in said first boom member,and means on the second boom member constructed and arranged to swivellysupport a load carrier member for rotation on a vertical axis.

3. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base havingsleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lifttruck, a transversely extending vertical bracket plate rigidly securedon the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boommember, a plurality of vertically spaced pivot lugs projecting forwardlyfrom said bracket plate, pivot lugs on the rear end portion of saidfirst boom member supportingly engaged on said first-named pivot lugs, avertical pivot pin extending through and pivotally connecting said pivotlugs for rotation on the first boom member around the vertical axis,outwardly projecting hoirzontal flanges on each of the opposite sides ofsaid first boom member spaced between the pivot lugs thereof andextending rearwardly toward said vertical bracket plate, transverselyextending bar means removably mounted on said bracket plate and being attimes engageable by said flanges to limit rotation of said first boommember, a second boom member telescopically received in said first boommember, means adjustably securing said second boom member in said firstboom member, and means on the forward end of said second boom memberconstructed and ar ranged to swivelly support a load carrier member forrotation on a vertical axis.

4. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base havingsleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lifttruck, a transversely extending vertical bracket plate rigidly securedon the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boommember, a plurality of vertically spaced pivot lugs projecting forwardlyfrom said bracket plate, pivot lugs on the rear end portion of saidfirst boom member supportingly engaged on said first-named pivot lugs, avertical pivot pin extending through and pivotally connecting said pivotlugs for rotation on the first boom member around the vertical axis,outwardly projecting horizontal flanges on the opposite sides of saidfirst boom member spaced between the pivot lugs thereof and extendingrearwardly toward said vertical bracket plate, a transversely extendinghorizontal flange on said bracket plate, a transverse stop bar removablymounted on said last-named flange and extending adjacent the rear edgesof said first-named flanges and being engageable thereby to limitrotation of said first boom member, a second boom membertelescopicallyreceived in said first boom member, means adjustablysecuring said second boom member in said first boom member, and means onthe forward end of said second boom member constructed and arranged toswivelly support a load carrier member for rotation on a vertical axis.

5. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base havingsleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lifttruck, a transversely extending vertical bracket plate rigidly securedon the rear end portion of said base, a horizontal first tubular boommember, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal pivot lugsprojecting forwardly from said bracket plate, horizontal pivot lugs onthe rear end portion of said first boom member supportingly engaged onsaid first-named pivot lugs, a vertical pivot pin extending through andpivotally connecting said pivot lugs for rotation of the rst boom memberaround a vertical axis, outwardly projecting horizontal flanges on theopposite sides of said first boom member spaced between the pivot lugsthereof and extending rearwardly toward said vertical bracket plate, atransversely extending horizontal flange on said bracket plate, atransverse stop bar removably mounted on said last-named flange andextending adjacent the rear edges of said first-named flanges and beingengageable thereby to limit rotation of said first boom member, a secondboom member telescopically received in said first boom member, meansadjustably securing said second boom member in said first boom member, ahorizontal plate member rigidly secured to the forward end portion ofsaid second boom member, and a load carrier member swivelly connected tosaid horizontal plate member for rotation on an vertical axis.

6. A boom attachment for a fork lift truck comprising a base havingsleeve-like portions adapted to receive the fork elements of a fork lifttruck, upstanding bracket means on the rear end portion of said base, ahorizontal boom member, means pivotally connecting the rear end portionof said boom member to said upstanding bracket means for rotation on avertical axis, an outwardly projecting horizontal flange on each of theopposite sides of said boom member extending adjacent said upstandingbraeket means, removably mounted transversely extending bar means onsaid upstanding bracket means and being at times engageable by saidflanges to limit rotation of said boom member, and means on the forwardend of said boom member constructed and arranged to swivelly support aload carrier assembly for rotation on a vertical axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,068,825 Stevenson Jan. 26, 1937 2,364,493 Ulinski Dec. 5, 19442,773,615 Conway Dec. 11, 1956 2,873,873 Fowler Feb. 17, 1959

